The Comedy of Autoguiding

[Guest]

Using pc-direct... or without - interesting...?

I have used pc direct without any issues but also made up an EQDIR adaptor usign the FTDI RS232 unit and a cat-5 patch lead.. freeign up the handset for the other mount...

Thanks for this Peter - so you got it to guide using PC Direct or was it mount control you achieved? That failed for me in PC Direct mode in tracking but as I mention above I'll try it again if you've been successful I might be able to follow in your footsteps! :-)

David

[GrantEb]

Which Firmware version is your hanset running? Apparently there were tracking issues prior to Version 3.25. Maybe just upgrade your firmware first.

[Guest]

Which Firmware version is your hanset running? Apparently there were tracking issues prior to Version 3.25. Maybe just upgrade your firmware first.

I'm running v3.27 but good thinking - something that would be easily missed.

David

[Guest]

I'm imaging the sun at the moment with the NexImage (unguided of course har har)

I noticed that when I bump the button to move the scope East it keeps going for a good 4-5 seconds. This is backlash I assume but I have set the RA backlash to compensate and it doesn't seem to do anything but you can hear the motor turn a bit when you press the West button (taking up the slack)

I wonder if this is something to do with WSS?

David

[Psychobilly]

Which Firmware version is your hanset running? Apparently there were tracking issues prior to Version 3.25. Maybe just upgrade your firmware first.

Grant is that based on the "chat" we have had via Pm's... if it is that AFAIK only applies to EQ3-Pros and its the motorcontroller firmware rather than the user upgradable handset firmware that mabe the cause of the problem...

SW still havent got a handle on it yet

David it was mount control using EQAscom from CDC logically if it works then hopefully guiding through EQAscom would work as well...

Peter...

[Guest]

Grant is that based on the "chat" we have had via Pm's... if it is that AFAIK only applies to EQ3-Pros and its the motorcontroller firmware rather than the user upgradable handset firmware that mabe the cause of the problem...

SW still havent got a handle on it yet

David it was mount control using EQAscom from CDC logically if it works then hopefully guiding through EQAscom would work as well...

Peter...

I have read that EQMod had tracking problems with PC Direct that were fixed via 3.25. I think it's this specific issue Grant is referring to as opposed to the firmware problem with the EQ-3 and guiding?

However, let's assume I'm wrong and let Grant answer that har har

Thanks again for all your advice Peter - looking forward to trying EQMod once I get the right cable.

By the way doods - guess what - while I was imaging the Sun today I noticed a HUGE amount of dandruff on the lens of the ED-80 - and - a SPIDER WEB inside the tube! Nice. I must've left the cap off one night - usually very careful to replace them but....

I unscrewed the lens unit at cleared things out - we'll see how much I've messed up the collimation now - but it shouldn't as the unit comes out in one piece.

David

David

[Guest]

How do you control the mount?

its this mount?

Skywatcher - Skywatcher EQ5 PRO Synscan GOTO

Hi Earl

Do you use the "on camera" selection in PhD with your QHY6? That's what I select instead of a mount.

I've seen advice to select a Celestron Nexstar (?) but not with the QHY6

David

[GrantEb]

I read this on the EQMOD website when looking for a download, so no Peter.

[Guest]

Grant is that based on the "chat" we have had via Pm's... if it is that AFAIK only applies to EQ3-Pros and its the motorcontroller firmware rather than the user upgradable handset firmware that mabe the cause of the problem...

SW still havent got a handle on it yet

David it was mount control using EQAscom from CDC logically if it works then hopefully guiding through EQAscom would work as well...

Peter...

Hi Peter and Grant,

I'm viewing the Sun again today and thought I'd try out EQMod again using PC Direct.

It seems to be tracking fine now that I select a tracking rate! Aaarrggh! Now all I have to do if figure out how to autoguide with EQMod - don't suppose you guys have a quick checklist to follow for setting this up?

David

[GrantEb]

What I do is:

Setup and polar align.

Switch on mount and select PC direct mode

Start Stellarium scope, and connect to mount.

In EQMOD, unpark scope, and select sidereal tracking.

Start Stellarium, and slew to bright star close to image target. Manually align scope.Slew to target image, and take test shot to confirm.( I don't always use stellarium, and you don't have to)

Close stellarium, it really slows the PC.

Open PHD, connect to mount, connect to camera.

Start calibration, and then hopefully it passes and begins guiding.

What I would try in PHD first, is select your mount as being ascom, and not on camera. You don't use the cable from the camera to the autoguide port. This way all guide commands are sent directly to the mount. You then have good control over all parameters with EQMOD.

HTH

[Psychobilly]

Plus this method should bypass any problems with the ways signals are beign handled guide port if that is the toor casue of the problem...

[Earl]

Hi Earl

Do you use the "on camera" selection in PhD with your QHY6? That's what I select instead of a mount.

I've seen advice to select a Celestron Nexstar (?) but not with the QHY6

David

Nope i select Cam and mount

[Guest]

Grant, Peter and Earl

Thanks very much - I'm really looking forward to trying this out tonight - sounds like this will be a really good test of where the problem is.

David

[GrantEb]

You could also try this to check if guide commands are being received by the mount:

Connect to mount , unpark and select sidereal tracking.

Connect to mount in PHD, and select Simulator as camera.

In PHD tools, select Enter calibration data, and enter the data that is shown as an example.

Hit begin looping exposures, and a simulated guide star will appear, select a guidestar, and hit the PHD button.

PHD should then send commands to the mount as if it where guiding. It skips the calibration phase. You should be able to hear the motors recieving commands.

[Guest]

You could also try this to check if guide commands are being received by the mount:

Connect to mount , unpark and select sidereal tracking.

Connect to mount in PHD, and select Simulator as camera.

In PHD tools, select Enter calibration data, and enter the data that is shown as an example.

Hit begin looping exposures, and a simulated guide star will appear, select a guidestar, and hit the PHD button.

PHD should then send commands to the mount as if it where guiding. It skips the calibration phase. You should be able to hear the motors recieving commands.

Thanks for this - just tried it but it failed to calibrate saying the star didn't move enough.

I tried to disable calibration but it stays "ticked" after I save it?

I entered the default data suggested when setting up the simulator.

I'm using a standard USB/Serial conversion cable to connect to the handset - is that ok or do I need one of these

Cables, Leads and Controllers - HitecAstro EQDIR adapter

Stellarium connects ok with this cable but not sure if EQMod can use it with PC Direct.

David

[GrantEb]

Yeah, it wont calibrate on a simulated star.

EQMOD and PC direct mode works fine with the cable you have, but EQDIR is better I believe.

In advanced parameters (brains icon), untick force calibration, and say done. If you go back it ticks it automatically, but ignore that.

Then enter cal data manually, and hit PHD. It should work. If it trys to calibrate, then it's not working for some or other reason.

[Glider]

If you connect through the handset you do not have to put it into PC Direct mode if you use the celestron ASCOM driver. The Skywatcher hand controller is Nexstar compatible.

[Psychobilly]

handy.. TVM Glider...

[Guest]

If you connect through the handset you do not have to put it into PC Direct mode if you use the celestron ASCOM driver. The Skywatcher hand controller is Nexstar compatible.

Will this work with the basic usb/serial coverter cable I'm using? I've downloaded the celestron drivers and the instructions helpfully told me to select the driver in the Ascom "chooser" - they really need to put a little more detail into that :-) After fumbling around I found something called the Ascom Profile that has a menu item called Chooser - but it doesn't do anything - seems to be a status indicator rather than a selection port.

So I looked at the Ascom toolbox and set the correct port (4 in this case according to the device mangler) and tried to connect to EQMod but it said no port was available.

Not to mention the fact I haven't been able to "select" a celestron driver anywhere :-)

I put it back in to PC Direct mode to try to get it to guide on the simulator but no matter how many times I untick the Force Calibration box it always tries to calibrate

I can hear the Benny Hill chase sequence music starting as I fired up Stellarium to see if that would connect - even outside PC Direct - har har har har!

This just keeps getting more hilarious the deeper I delve in to it.

My favourite part so far is receiving the QHY6 with what can only be described as a hair of questionable origin stuck to the inner side of the chip glass - how did that make it through QA? It's HUGE and you can see it easily with the naked eye - but I chose to use a magnifying glass :-) The distributor offered to remove it for me but supposedly the operation to remove it is somewhat straight forward - as I can't get it to work anyway the hair may stay there for the time being.....

Back to EQMod and the revenge of the Ascom "Chooser" har har! Queue the music!

[Guest]

....ok I've got it guiding in simulation now (had to re-set the calibration data on restart - of course - what a doofus)

It is submitting corrections to the West which is a good sign?

Hope so!

David

Update - now issuing correction to the East - another goods sign? :-)

and keeping the star centred too by the way.

[Glider]

Install ASCOM platform 5b

Install ASCOM updater 5.5.1

Install Celestron driver 5.0.23

Install PHD 1.12.3

Connect PC USB to USB-RS232 converter

Connect USB-RS232 converter to RJ11 on base of Handset

Connect handset to mount using normal RJ45 cable

Connect guide camera to PC (however you do it)

Run PHD

Select camera

Select mount

When you select mount you are prompted to select a driver, select Celestron, go advanced properties, select Nerxstar 8, enter GPS, com port, etc.

[GrantEb]

Good news. The star will stay centered, as it is just a simulator. But hopefully that is what you will see tonight in real mode.

Good luck for tonight.

[Guest]

Install ASCOM platform 5b

Install ASCOM updater 5.5.1

Install Celestron driver 5.0.23

Install PHD 1.12.3

...............................

Now THAT is what I call instructions! Thanks Glider.

David

[Guest]

Good news. The star will stay centered, as it is just a simulator. But hopefully that is what you will see tonight in real mode.

Good luck for tonight.

Thanks Grant - here's Hoping! I'm just relieved it didn't display some new WSS related symptom - I truly think I would've poured super-glue into my revolving roof seal, installed a fridge full of beer in the obby and rigged up a hammock to the mount motor if it did.

David

[Glider]

Versions can make a big difference.

Is your handset V3.27?

Don't forget to Force Calibration if you change targets.

Don't adjust anything except the Calibration Step for your first few attempts.

When calibrating you want it to do West/East in about 12 to 25 steps. If it gets to 60 it will say the star has not moved enough.

Less than 10 step decrease Calibration Step, more than 30 increase.